Sizing satellite beam capacity

Abstract

A processor includes a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The instructions include determining a capacity of a plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on a beam traffic density associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams and transmitting, to a communication satellite, a control signal that commands the communication satellite to transmit the plurality of satellite beams in accordance with the beam traffic density determined by the processor. The processor may be incorporated into a telecommunications system that includes a communication satellite programmed to transmit signals in accordance with a plurality of beams.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A processor comprising a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including:
 determining a beam traffic density based at least in part on a peak-to-average ratio associated with each of a plurality of satellites beams, wherein the peak-to-average ratio includes a ratio of an average number of concurrent users to a peak number of concurrent users of one of the plurality of satellite beams; 
 determining a capacity of each of the plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on the beam traffic density associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams; and 
 transmitting, to a communication satellite, a control signal that commands the communication satellite to transmit the plurality of satellite beams in accordance with the beam traffic density determined by the processor. 
 
     
     
       2. The processor of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions include determining the beam traffic density based at least in part on a number of concurrent users in each of the plurality of satellite beams. 
     
     
       3. The processor of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions include determining the beam traffic density for each of the plurality of satellite beams over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       4. The processor of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions include determining the beam traffic density based at least in part on a probability that a number of concurrent users in each of the plurality of satellite beams is below a predetermined threshold over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       5. The processor of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions include determining the beam traffic density based at least in part on an average number of concurrent users in each of the plurality of satellite beams over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       6. The processor of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions include determining the capacity of each of the plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on a bandwidth associated with at least one carrier associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams and a spectral efficiency associated with the at least one carrier. 
     
     
       7. The processor of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions include allocating a beam throughput to each of the plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on the bandwidth associated with the at least one carrier. 
     
     
       8. The processor of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions include allocating the beam throughput to each of the plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on a number of carriers associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams. 
     
     
       9. The processor of  claim 7 , wherein the communication satellite allocates the capacity of each of the plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on the control signal. 
     
     
       10. A telecommunications system comprising:
 a communication satellite programmed to transmit signals in accordance with a plurality of beams; 
 a processor having a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a capacity of each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on a beam traffic density associated with each of the plurality of beams, 
 wherein the processor is programmed to determine the beam traffic density based at least in part on a peak-to-average ratio associated with each of the plurality of beams, 
 wherein the peak-to-average ratio includes a ratio of an average number of concurrent users to a peak number of concurrent users of one of the plurality of beams. 
 
     
     
       11. The telecommunications system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the beam traffic density based at least in part on a number of concurrent users in each of the plurality of beams. 
     
     
       12. The telecommunications system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the beam traffic density for each of the plurality of beams over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       13. The telecommunications system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the beam traffic density based at least in part on a probability that a number of concurrent users in each of the plurality of beams is below a predetermined threshold over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       14. The telecommunications system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the beam traffic density based at least in part on an average number of concurrent users in each of the plurality of beams over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       15. The telecommunications system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the capacity of each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on a bandwidth associated with at least one carrier associated with each of the plurality of beams and a spectral efficiency associated with the at least one carrier. 
     
     
       16. The telecommunications system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is programmed to allocate a beam throughput to each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on the bandwidth associated with the at least one carrier. 
     
     
       17. The telecommunications system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is programmed to allocate a beam throughput to each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on a number of carriers associated with each of the plurality of beams. 
     
     
       18. The telecommunications system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to generate a beam layout that includes each of the plurality of beams and iteratively update the beam layout in accordance with the capacity of each of the plurality of beams. 
     
     
       19. A processor comprising a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including:
 determining a capacity of each of a plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on a beam traffic density associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams, a bandwidth associated with at least one carrier associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams, and a spectral efficiency associated with the at least one carrier; 
 allocating a beam throughput to each of the plurality of satellite beams based at least in part on the bandwidth associated with the at least one carrier and a number of carriers associated with each of the plurality of satellite beams; and 
 transmitting, to a communication satellite, a control signal that commands the communication satellite to transmit the plurality of satellite beams in accordance with the beam traffic density determined by the processor. 
 
     
     
       20. A telecommunications system comprising:
 a communication satellite programmed to transmit signals in accordance with a plurality of beams; and 
 a processor having a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a capacity of each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on a beam traffic density associated with each of the plurality of beams, determine the capacity of each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on a bandwidth associated with at least one carrier associated with each of the plurality of beams and a spectral efficiency associated with the at least one carrier, and allocate a beam throughput to each of the plurality of beams based at least in part on the bandwidth associated with the at least one carrier and on a number of carriers associated with each of the plurality of beams.